


The Dark Side of the Sun

by queenLiz



Category: Detroit: Become Human (Video Game)
Genre: F/M, Family Problems, Human AU, Religion, Violence, attemtped raped, cancer in a child, emotional and psychological abuse, fost care, more might be added
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-06-13
Updated: 2020-06-13
Packaged: 2021-03-04 07:35:03
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Rape/Non-Con
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,583
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24699928
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/queenLiz/pseuds/queenLiz
Summary: North is a recovered drug addict trying to start a new chapter in her life. Connor is nothing like the men she's been with before. He's sweet and kind. But she learns that his life might not be a bright as it appeared and he soon needs her strength as much as she needs his light. Mentions attempted rape, abuse, and drugs. This is a human AU.
Relationships: Connor/North, Cyberlife Tower Connor/Chloe, Kara/Luther, Nines/OFC, Simon/Markus - Relationship
Comments: 1
Kudos: 11





	The Dark Side of the Sun

**Author's Note:**

> No Beta

She noticed him as soon as she entered the restaurant. She was scanning the tables looking for her friends when she came across him sitting at a table with what had to be his brothers. They all looked remarkably alike but there was something about him that was different. He sat so rigidly at his table while the other two were much more casual. The one with the chiseled jaw was telling some story animatedly while the blue-eyed one snickered. The one she had her eyes on just smirked at the story but the smile reached his brown eyes and brightened up his face.  
He looked familiar though. She just couldn’t place him.

“NORTH!” She heard Markus, one of her friends, call out to her. “Over here!”

North turned to see her little group seated with a pitcher of water already on the table. Yes, she was once again, late to a gathering. It was a side effect of having to look fabulous before she stepped outside.

She strolled over to the table and slide into the booth. “Hey, guys and gals!” She greeted. “I’m starving.”

Today was a celebration. Three hundred and sixty-five days clean and sober was no small feat. North was proud of herself; her friends were proud of her. They picked an establishment with no booze in sight and with her favorite honey mustard wings to commemorate her sobriety.

It had not been an easy year for her. But in truth, it hadn’t been an easy year for any of them.

Markus was sitting across from his husband Simon. They had only been married two months when Markus was hit by a car. He died twice on the operating table and yet there he was sitting across from her looking alive, well, and happy; despite his lengthy and painful rehabilitation. The only sign that anything had happened to him was the scar running across one of his eyes that had taken his sight and changed the color of the eye.

Next to him was Josh who lost his job and his apartment. He was fired not because he didn’t do the work or because he was incapable of doing the work. He was fired simply because he was black. He had stayed with Simon and Markus for a while which was needed when Markus got out of the hospital. But now he’s started his own company and has his own place.

Across from Josh was Kara, North’s only female friend. She was probably the most stable of her friends. She’d been married for almost five years to a wonderfully kind man named Luther. Kara found out she couldn’t have kids, so they adopted a pretty little girl named Alice. They found out three months after adopting her that Alice had leukemia. She was still battling the disease and yet Kara found time to come to celebrate North.

They were a tight-knit group and had been for almost a decade. They were survivors and would move mountains for each other. They were all they had.

The waitress came over to take their orders. They order the shareable two sharable appetizers with thirty wings and four orders of loaded fries. North pours some water in her glass and again her eyes landed on the man she could have sworn she’d seen somewhere before.

North leaned forward and spoke low. “Ok, do you guys see the three guys sitting by the window?”

In her head, she thought they would be a tad more discreet about it but she should have known better. All of them turn around in different directions screaming “Where!?”

“Seriously guys… by the window.” She harshly whispers. “There is only one window.”

“Oh!” That was Kara having the decency to be whisper back. “I see them. They look like brothers.”

“The one sitting straight at the edge of the booth, I know him from somewhere.” She explains. “Any of you recognize him?”

A series of “no” meets her ears as her friends shake their heads.

“Darn it.” Useless. The whole lot of them. “It’s bugging me.”

Kara shrugs. “He’s cute though. He's got that puppy look.”

“Mmmhmm.” Simon agrees. “He's cute but he has that innocent look. He doesn't look daring to me."

Josh rolls his eyes looking annoyed at the whole conversation. “Like Markus is so daring.”

North has never been sure of Josh. He’s jealous of either Markus or Simon or maybe even both at different times. Maybe he’s just envious of people that are in relationships. He never throws shade at Kara but he doesn't ever talk about her relationship with Luther. Even when it's a topic on the table.

Simon squints. He looked affronted. “You’re going to tell me that Markus looks as uptight as the dude over there?”

Josh takes another look at the man by the window then looks at Markus then looks back at Simon. “Ok, not as uptight.”

Simon seemed satisfied with that.

Uptight wouldn't be the word she'd use to describe the cutie sitting by the window. He has that "good boy" look but there is something in his eyes. Something hidden. Like he has a secret. 

He is very handsome though not classically so. He isn't sculpted, he on the thin side and does look like he goes to church on Sunday mornings. But his eyes were kind, his smile was easy, and he looked like a nice guy. North wasn't usually attracted to the nice guy type.

The food came and for a little while there was no talk other than the occasional, “This is so good.”

“Let’s have a toast!” That was Markus already holding up his glass of Coca Cola. “To North! Who in the last year has gone through her share of hardships but has come out on the other side stronger, more resilient and beautiful.”

North smiled at her friends as they cheered and clicked their glasses together. But the smile was short-lived.

It came back to her like a rushing wave. It was something about the sound of the glasses clinking together that brought her back there.

She was a wreck. High on whatever she could get her hands on, she did her routine on stage before going to find someone who would pay her for the night. Two men approached her to take her to the back rooms. Somehow, they had managed to get her out the club and into the back alley.

How pathetic was that? She didn't even realize where they were taking her until she was there. She was so out of it. She remembered their hands though pulling at her clothes. She remembered trying to scream out but still hoping she got paid for it so she could by her next hit. 

Thinking back, she's so disgusted with herself. They were rough, holding her down. Before they could get her naked enough to take what they wanted, someone had come and chased them away.

Soft hands had lifted her up and placed her so carefully into a car. The night is spotty at best. She remembered the argument about going to the hospital. She insisted she was fine and though he didn’t believe her, he drove her home instead. She remembered unbuckling her seatbelt and crawling over to sit in his lap to “reward him for his heroism.”

He had not only turned her down there but also in the bedroom of her ratty apartment when he took her upstairs. She passed out at some point but woke up with a blanket over and Tylenol with a bottle of water beside her bed.

She never even got his name.

“Oh God, I remember him now.” She groaned.

The conversation had moved on to other things while she took her trip down memory lane so her sudden interruption silenced the table in questioning glares.

“Who the uptight guy?” Josh asked trying to figure out what they were talking about now.

“Yeah.” Embarrassment was starting to take over. “He’s the hero.”

“What!” Simon gasped. “It’s a small world.”

She hated that expression. Hated that the most humiliating night of her life was thrown up in her face on a day they were supposed to be celebrating. “Shut up Simon.”

“Are you going to go talk to him?” Markus asked looking back towards the guy by the window. “You always talked about wanting to thank him.”

Retelling the story was difficult to do. She told Markus first who was unbelievably supportive even as she recounted how stupid she was for getting herself into a position like that in the first place.

It had taken all her friends though only three days to convince her to go to rehab.

She would have been raped, possibly killed had it not been for the hero. She was grateful to him for saving her and then for not taking advantage of the situation when she threw herself at him still trying to score some more drugs despite everything she'd been through. 

She wanted to thank him for it, but she was ashamed.

“I don’t want to disturb his dinner.” She said unsure if she could face someone who had seen her at her worst.

Instead, she pushed him out of her mind and continued on with her meal. The conversation moved on to work problems, relationship problems (or lack thereof), and financial problems. That led to jokes about some of their more excessive spending habits like Markus’ need for more paints even though he has plenty and Kara’s need for yarn even though he has four working projecting already.

This is what she liked about being out with friends. They could take her away from herself. She wasn’t stuck in her mind and fighting through her own emotions alone. They had the hardships just like she did and they were able to joke and laugh. That’s what she needed. Something to brighten up her life and was strong enough not to allow her to darken theirs.

Desert was a fun affair. They ordered one of everything with the plan to share everything but as always, they started fighting over their favorite dishes. For a little while, there were no thoughts of illness, employment, addictions, or life.

But like all good things, the night was coming to an end. They were stuffed, laughed out, and tired. It was time to go their separate ways.

North slides out the booth. “I’m going to the little girl's room before we go. Feel free to pay the check for me.” She teased.

Kara pushed at Markus to let her out. “I’ll go too.”

The two girls weaved through the semi-crowded restaurant to where the bathrooms were. They past the men’s room and enter the women’s room happy both stalls were empty. After using the bathroom, they wash their hands and fix their hair.

“Is Alice feeling better?” North asked touching up her lip gloss.

“The treatments make her tired but she’s still fighting,” Kara responded. “Luther has been great with her though. He’s been a rock. He insisted I go out tonight."

North smiled at the goofy grin that appeared on Kara's face at the mention of Luther's name. “You lucked up. He’s a good man.”

Kara’s smile widened. “I know it, trust me. Have you given any thoughts about dating? I know you said you wanted to wait.”

“I haven’t really thought about it,” North responded honestly. She had just learned how to be alone. She wasn't sure if she was ready to bring someone into her life yet. “Thinking about finding a booty call though.”

Kara turned a bright red. “NORTH!”

North laughed as they exited the bathroom. Kara was always too easy to tease. “What! A girl gets lonely.”

They open the door and they stop in their tracks when they see the hero walking towards the restrooms.

“You should say something.” Kara encourages. “Say something.”

North watched Kara walk away while the hero approaches. She stands perfectly still not sure what she should say if anything. 

As he got closer his brown eyes spotted her. At first, he gave her an inquisitive look, as if trying to figure out where he knew her from. But then it seemed to dawn on him, and he greeted her.

“Hi!” He said. “North right?”

His voice. That’s what she remembered the most. Slightly raspy and yet silky and warm. “Um. Yeah. I didn’t think you’d remember me.”

He nodded. “I remember. How have you been?”

“I’m good.” She said. “You know, I never got the chance to say thank you.”

He smiled and she noticed immediately that his smile is slightly crooked. “You’re welcome.”

“I’m a year clean.” She told him almost as if she couldn't stop herself. Suddenly it was important to her that he knew she wasn't that girl anymore. “Because of that night.”

“That’s awesome. Good for you.” His words seemed so genuine and sincere. “You look great!”

She flushed. “Thanks. I never got your name.”

“Connor.” He gave her a hand. “Connor Stern.”

Stern? That’s funny because he’s got a severely pleasant disposition. “North Eden.” She took his hand immediately noticing his hand are slightly rough but wonderfully warm,

Then came the awkward silence. They didn’t know each other to keep the conversation going but both seemed to think the conversation shouldn’t just end.

“North Eden, it’s nice to formally meet you.” He said lamely but adorably. “I’m happy you are well. I thought about you a lot.”

He reddens at his own admission but she smiled. 

“You did?” Her voice sounded foreign to her own ears. 

“Yeah.” He looked uncomfortable. “Um, if you want, or if you’re free, maybe I could take you out some time?”

Her heart flutters for a moment. It occurred to her that she might be nervous about this. And flattered. This man had seen her at her worse and just asked her out? “I would like that. But um, it has to be my treat. My way of saying thank you.”

That crooked smile comes back. “Alright. Um, here, what’s your number? I’ll text you so you have mine.”

She reads off her number and her phone vibrates in her pocket alerting her of his text.

“I’ll call you tomorrow.” She said.

He smiled and waved and ducked into the men’s room.

If that wasn’t the cutest thing ever she doesn’t know what is.

She felt slightly giddy which was ridiculous. She wasn’t some little school girl with a crush but it did make her feel attractive. Even if it led to nothing, it would a boost of confidence. 

“How’d it go?” Kara asked when she sat back down. 

“Great.” She tried but failed to stop the smile from widening on her face. “I think I have a date?”

“What?!” Josh, always Josh. “He asked you out?”

“Yeah.” She said before narrowing her eyes at him. “Why does that surprise you?”

“It’s just surprising that’s all.” Josh mumbles. “That’s awesome.”

She noticed Markus looking at her, a smirk on his face, and an eyebrow raised. "You were supposed to say thank you."

She laughed as she reached across to punch his arm. "I did! He's the one who asked me out."

The check came and they each pay their portion. As she walked back to her apartment there was some pep in her step. It was a good night for sure. Great friends, delicious food, and a date with a cutie. What else could a girl ask for?

**Author's Note:**

> Please comment! Thanks for reading!


End file.
